* URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY FOR MINOR FLOODING OF POOR DRAINAGE AREAS IN... SOUTHEASTERN BELKNAP COUNTY IN CENTRAL NEW HAMPSHIRE... STRAFFORD COUNTY IN CENTRAL NEW HAMPSHIRE... EASTERN MERRIMACK COUNTY IN CENTRAL NEW HAMPSHIRE... NORTHERN ROCKINGHAM COUNTY IN SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE... CENTRAL YORK COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST MAINE...

* UNTIL 815 PM EDT

* AT 511 PM EDT RADAR INDICATED A SERIES OF THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCINGHEAVY RAIN IN THE AREA. REPORTS OF OVER ONE INCH OF RAIN HAVE BEENRECEIVED. RAINFALL RATES OF UP TO ONE INCH PER HOUR WILL PRODUCEMINOR FLOODING OF SMALL STREAMS AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. NEVER DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTOAREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. FLOOD WATERS ARE USUALLYDEEPER THAN THEY APPEAR. JUST ONE FOOT OF FLOWING WATER IS POWERFULENOUGH TO SWEEP VEHICLES OFF THE ROAD. WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODEDROADS MAKE THE SMART CHOICE...TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN.

A FLOOD ADVISORY MEANS RIVER OR STREAM FLOWS ARE ELEVATED OR PONDINGOF WATER IN URBAN OR OTHER AREAS IS OCCURRING OR IS IMMINENT.

.A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE IN FROM THE NORTHWEST THIS EVENING...SETTING OFF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. THE FRONT WILL STALLACROSS THE REGION OVERNIGHT AND THEN SHIFT OFFSHORE ON THURSDAY.THIS FRONT WILL BE THE FOCUS FOR LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL THISEVENING INTO THURSDAY.

* PORTIONS OF WESTERN MAINE AND NEW HAMPSHIRE...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS...IN WESTERN MAINE...ANDROSCOGGIN...INTERIOR WALDO...KENNEBEC...SOUTHERN FRANKLIN...SOUTHERN OXFORD AND SOUTHERN SOMERSET. IN NEW HAMPSHIRE...BELKNAP...MERRIMACK... NORTHERN CARROLL...NORTHERN GRAFTON...SOUTHERN CARROLL... SOUTHERN COOS...SOUTHERN GRAFTON AND SULLIVAN.

* THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING

* A SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT WILL BE THE FOCUS FOR HEAVY RAINFALL THIS EVENING INTO THURSDAY. ONE TO THREE INCHES OR RAIN IS LIKELY...WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS THAT COULD PRODUCE FLASH FLOODING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP THAT LEADTO FLASH FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTIONSHOULD FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS BE ISSUED.

A low pressure system approaching from south of the Great Lakes is forecast to move eastward tonight and Thursday to lie east of Nova Scotia by Friday morning. Periods of rain over southern New Brunswick will become heavy at times towards midnight tonight as the low approaches. Periods of heavy rain are expected for most of the day Thursday and then gradually diminish in intensity Thursday evening. Total rainfall amounts of near 40 to 50 millimetres can be expected with the possibility of higher amounts locally.

Heavy downpours can cause flash floods and water pooling on roads.

Rainfall Warnings are issued when significant rainfall is expected.

Environment Canada meteorologists will update alerts as required. Stay up to date with Weatheradio or your local media. Email reports of severe weather to weatherASPC@ec.gc.ca or call 1-877-815-9900. You may tweet reports using the hashtag #NBStorm.